From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
IDF hits back at Katz: Issues shouldn’t be resolved via the media, military fully cooperating with Oct. 7 probe
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The IDF hits back at Defense Minister Israel Katz after he ordered the military to “fully cooperate” with the state comptroller’s investigation into the October 7, 2023, onslaught, saying that the issues should not be resolved via the news media.
The military says it is in the midst of carrying out internal investigations “to improve the defense of the country and its citizens.”
The probes are progressing alongside the military’s activities, the IDF says, noting that “the commanders who are [currently] managing the battles are also the ones who are carrying out the investigations.”
The military warns that if the commanders are distracted by the investigations during the current fighting, it may cost lives.
“The IDF cooperates fully with the state comptroller, even though such an audit has never been conducted during a war,” the military says, adding that currently 18 probes are being carried out by State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman in the IDF.
The IDF argues that its “quality investigations” are “a very important basis” for the state comptroller’s probe, and they will be given to Englman upon completion.
The military says it is prioritizing the “quality of the investigations” over completing them at a faster rate, but will still “do everything to finish them professionally as quickly as possible.”
“The resolution of the issues should take place in a dialogue between the defense minister and the chief of staff and not through the media,” the IDF adds.
